Raipur Native and MBBS Student is PETA India’s Volunteer of the Year

In honour of International Volunteer Day (5 December), PETA India has awarded Raipur native Rishabh Verma, an MBBS student of Lord Buddha Koshi Medical College in Bihar, the title of 2024 Volunteer of the Year.

Verma, who is vegan, started volunteering for PETA India in 2022 and has worked alongside various initiatives to raise awareness about animal rights, from organising youth outreach events and participating in street-theatre-style demonstrations. He has acted on several cruelty-to-animals cases, too, including one where he persuaded forest officials to seize a turtle kept in a plastic jar at a restaurant. He got community dogs on his college campus sterilised with help from a private veterinarian and cared for them in his hostel room until they were fit to release. He never misses an opportunity to speak up for animals and to spread awareness about the benefits of vegan eating. That care extends to his role as the guardian of a beloved community dog named Luna.

PETA India’s annual “Volunteer of the Year” award recognises an outstanding volunteer who has shown exceptional commitment and impact. This recognition celebrates their achievements and inspires others to join the animal rights movement, reinforcing the importance of volunteerism in creating a better world for all sentient beings.

You can make a difference for animals, too.